First impressions determine a lot of things in life, and it is also very essential when attending job interviews. The best way to give off a good first impression is ensuring that you have made sufficient preparation for any and every situation that you can predict or give an estimate on how the job interview goes. Your first impression to the interviewer is vital as it can help to stand as some sort of credibility, i.e; you are able to present yourself in a way that reflects the skills and experience listed on your resume. Without giving off a good first impression to the interviewer, you wouldn’t be able to convey or portray yourself in a way that aligns with what the employer/recruiter is looking for. TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW 1. Be on time: punctuality is an essential factor when it comes to attending interviews. Typically, you’d want to arrive at job interviews 10-15 minutes early as interviewers are often ready before the scheduled time of appointment.   2. Gree...

Need to brush up on your interview skills? Just follow these tips and practice them: 1. Practice in the mirror. When you're at home, pretend you're in an interview and maintain eye contact with yourself in the mirror. 2. Schedule a mock interview at C-102. You will be evaluated on your interviewing skills, etiquette, and presentation. The interview will be tailored to the position you are applying to and will be like an actual interview when you walk in. You can also set up mock interviews with friends.  3. Learn about interview questions. Get familiar with commonly asked questions and your responses to them.  Some examples of commonly asked questions interviews are:  Tell me about yourself What are your greatest strengths? Weaknesses? Why do you feel you'll be successful in this position? Where do you see yourself in five years? Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills. ...

Research- The very first thing to do before you even start practicing for the interview is to research the company you’re going to interview with. The employer expects you to talk about the following: how did you hear about this opening, why you want to work here, and what do you know about the company. That’s just the beginning, so you want to make sure you make a great impression on the employer.   This can be achieved by knowing about the company. You can go the company’s website and read the section “About Us”, the Facebook page, or Twitter profile.   These are the things that will give you an idea of what the company is actually about and what they’re expecting from you.   Practice-   It’s one of the most crucial things that must be done in order to ace an interview. You will never get a job if you don’t rehearse for an interview. No matter how smart you are, you always have to prep.   One of the best ways to prepare your responses is creating ...

There is a saying that says “practice makes perfect.” I believe with anything that you want perfected, whether it be a singing performance, a skit role, or playing in a band, practicing is a key component to perfection. Interviewing is also a skill that can be perfected with practice over time. Interviewing does not come natural for everyone, but very few people practice so that they are prepared before the interview is conducted. Preparation before an interview is important because it can help to reduce stress and anxiety and you can now begin to boost your confidence. By having confidence, you will perform better in an actual interview .   These are the following things that you can do to prepare. First start with writing down a list of commonly asked questions. Secondly, prepare to answer the questions, especially the questions that are considered uncommon, such as “ If you were a tree (or animal) what kind of tree (animal) would you be?” To identify areas where you...

In the last post, you read about the skills that employers are looking for.   With this learned information you will now be prepared to head into an interview! Before your interview, here are a few tips: Research the company. Know its purpose and the reason that it exists. Walk with copies of your resume to the interview even if you previously submitted it online. I recommend using resume paper versus copy paper for your resume in order to make it stand out in a pile. Dress the part! It is always safer to dress more business professional than business casual for the interview; you must put your best foot forward. If appropriate clothing is an issue, the organizations below are able to help with interview clothes. Dress for Success 32 E 31st St # 602   New York, NY 10016 (212) 684-3611 The focus is on women who are looking for a job. The charity provides interview suits, confidence boosts and career development skills.   Career G...

If you've done any research on interviewing, you know that you MUST ask the employer questions.  This shows that you are interested in the job and that you've done some homework.  It's also important to know what questions you should stay away from.  Vault (Career Insider) recently shared a list of questions you SHOULD NOT ask on the interview: 1. What are the hours? 2. What is the salary? Is there an opportunity to earn a bonus? 3. Who are your main competitors? 4. What does the timeline look like for promotions? 5. What is the dress code? 6. Could I work from home? 7. How many paid vacation days and sick days would I get? 8. What other benefits would you provide? 9. Does the company monitor employee email or social media accounts? 10. What do you like least about working here? For reasons why you shouldn't ask these questions and additional tips, read the entire post: http://access.vault.com/blog/interviewing/10-questions-never-t...

So your interview is two days away and you’re nervous because you were told that it will be a group interview and you don’t know what to expect. For many job candidates, group interviews can be intimidating and nerve racking. To overcome this fear and embrace the group interview process one must understand the purposes of a group interview.    What is a Group interview? Group interviews involve bringing you into an interview with several other candidates who are contending for the same position. All candidates in the group are interviewed simultaneously. In this setting, Employers are assessing “skills” such as problem solving skills, communication skills and team work.   Employers can get a better insight on how you will handle any stressful situation that may arise. Types of group interviews formats usually consists of group discussions and activities. In this scenario, the candidates involved are either asked to solve a problem that is given or each candidat...

An interview that takes place behind a computer screen, can go by many names: Remote interview, video interview or online interview     Take a look at these tips on how to ace that particular interview. Before ü   You will need a quiet pla ce with a neutral or professional background ü   Have your resume, pen and paper ready ü   Dress professionally During Do not eat or drink Do not have your radio or TV on Make sure you will not be disturbed Remember to smile, you are on camera after all!   After Send a thank you note within 48 hours ~Christine Davis

Finding your dream job can be long, difficult and at times even frustrating. After spending hours perfecting your resume, researching relevant positions and filling out numerous job applications it is time to prepare for the final step, your interview . Like other steps in the job search process preparing for an interview requires thorough research of the position offered, the organization and the skills desired in a successful candidate. Initiating an effective and specific research prior to attending the interview is a key factor to landing the job. During the interview it is expected of a good candidate to show dedication to work ethics and strong will to learn.    The general guidelines of providing an effective answer for a job interview questions are the same for both difficult and simple ones. An answer should be: ·    Direct – Answer all aspects of the question discussed while providing a significant amount of detail. ·    Concise...

Are you extremely nervous when you have a job interview? Do you know how to answer typical interview questions? Are you aware of your body language and how it affects you in the interview? If you'd like to improve your interview skills, participate in the How to Ace the Interview workshop on Wednesday, October 26th at 11:30am .   For more information, visit us in C-102!

                                                          Interviewing What are some typical interview questions and good responses? Typical Interview questions vary depending on the type of job you are getting, but some of the most common questions are: Why do you want to work for us? ( Talk about it's mission, environment, and even why you like the company.) Tell me about yourself. ( DO NOT : Talk about personal things. DO: Talk about your skills and accomplishments.) Why should we hire you? ( Sell yourself by trying to impress them for example talk about your experience, accomplishments, and skills.) How did you hear about us? ( Always do research beforehand about the company. If you have heard of the company it should be easy, but if its your first time hearing about the company just be honest and show that you've done yo...

 A lot of people find interviews very intimidating. It can be nerve wracking to be face to face to someone and answer questions that can either make or break you. Have no fear! Here are some tips that will surely help you to be confident about your next interview.   First and foremost - BE ON TIME FOR YOUR INTERVIEW ! This is very important! Your first impression is everything to the hiring manager and he/she won't be too pleased to be waiting for you; especially if they have other people scheduled to interview that same day. Remember this: to be on time is to be late, but to be a little early is to be on time. For example, if your interview is scheduled for 1:00 p.m, don't arrive at 1:00 p.m on the dot. Arrive at least 15 minutes earlier to get yourself together, go over your resume, and familiarize yourself with the place if possible. BE PLEASANT . That doesn't mean to have a big ole grin on your face, but don't look as if you sucked on a lemon. RESEARCH...

We all know that to get a good job in today's economy is not simple, but in most cases are really competitive. Hence in order to get a job, you need to concentrate and do the the best of your ability to Ace an interview. Although the pressure is on you and on your skills, but the interviewer is also has numerous amount pressure on him/her - interviewer has a small amount of time in his/her hands to see that indeed you are the right candidate for the job.  1.) What are some typical interview questions and good responses?    One of the most obvious question: Can you do the job? First of all it is important to know that though this question may sound easy, but it is more complex than you may think. Every interviewer tries to find your skills that are required to have in order to do the job, so it is important to bring relevant skills to the job that you are applying for. The answer should be yes, and then highlight your skills, your similar previous job e...

Types of Interviews Group Interview: Whenever you go to an interview and you end up in a group interview, it's usually not the manager that's doing the hiring it's sometimes a recruiter letting a manager know which candidate is a fit for employment.     One on One Interview: This is the real deal. This is usually the actual interview with the manager. This is the time where you've got to bring out your inner pride and show the manager what you're worth to his corporation. Phone Interview: Before you get called to an actual interview sometimes you may receive an interview on the phone. This is usually done so that the manager may get in touch with you.  - Yusuf Junjua 

Interviews are one of the toughest challenges we have to go through in our life, but even the hardest fights have solutions. There are many different types of interviews, of the many there are 6 major types of interviews : Structured Interview: Formal and organized, starts easily but becomes harder as time passes.   Unstructured Interview: Open ended questions, the  interviewer  relies on you, and what you have to say about yourself. Stress Interview: Most likely for higher positions, candidates are put in positions where they are tested for how they'd work under  pressure . Behavioral Interview: Focuses on your prior experience, candidates are asked about how they handled certain situations in the past. Problem Solving or Case Interview: Candidate will be tested on communication and analytical skills, and will be asked to solve problems. Panel Interview: A bunch of staff  members  will be gathered to ask a candid...